ECYD

The Heart of the Program

ECYD, “Educational, Culture and Youth “Development”

In this international organization, Catholic youth form an alliance
with Christ to build a new world. Following the example of Christ,
their friend and supreme ideal, young people commit themselves to
practice charity, sincerity, friendship, purity, generousity, and joy:
to give good witness to their peers: and to extend ECYD among their
friends and companions.

What is in the name "ECYD?"

EDUCATION: Becoming Well-rounded

Education is not only
time spent in school studying and going to classes. It involves the
whole person. ECYD wants its members to be well-rounded individuals
who have developed their intelligence, will, sensitivity, and
character. ECYD members are educated to know what is true, good and
beautiful. They are taught to act nobly, in accord with deeply rooted
convictions.

CULTURE: Authentic Values

ECYD joins the Holy
Father in embuing culture with Christian values. Members of ECYD learn
to recognize authentic culture from its counterfeits and are ready and
willing to take a stand against the culture of death in all its
manifestations. They learn how to be positive forces for good and not
mere idle bystanders who do no more than complain about a bad situation
getting worse.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: Leadership

ECYD members learn
to be leaders. Powerful forces in society seek to keep young people
enslaved to their passions... making them easy targets for seduction
and negative influences. ECYD members, on the other hand, are given
the tools to develop self-confidence. Having Christ as their best
friend, they know that he has given them qualities which they must
fully develop in order to leave a real and lasting mark on the world.

There are five loves of an ECYD member:Love of Jesus ChristLove of the Blessed VirginLove of the ChurchLove of the Holy FatherLove of ECYDThere are four stages of ECYD:1st Stage: Girls between the ages of 11 and 13. The
special love of first stage is a real tender and filial love of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of ECYD and an unequaled model of love of
Christ and neighbor. The daily commitments of this first stage are:
Pray the Our Father and the ECYD prayer in the morning and a Hail Mary
and ECYD prayer at night.2nd Stage: Girls between the ages of 13 and 14.
The special love of second stage is a personal, real, passionate and
faithful love of Jesus Christ, my friend and ideal of life, which is
translated into great love for the Eucharist, the Gospel and the life
of grace. The daily commitments of the second stage are: Daily
offering, that includes the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory and the ECYD
morning prayer; night prayers that include the Our Father, Hail Mary,
Glory, Act of Contrition and the ECYD night prayer; a mystery of the
Rosary and a reading of the Gospel passage followed by a few minutes of
reflection.

3rd Stage: Girls between the ages of 14 and 15.
The special love of third stage is love of the Church and the Pope that
is translated in an interest for understanding its mystery, its history
and mission, in defending valiantly the
Church and cultivating an ardent zeal for the salvation of souls. The
daily commitments of third stage are: Daily offering that includes the
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory, Act of Contrition and the ECYD prayer; a
visit to the Eucharist, a mystery of the Rosary and a reading of a
Gospel passage followed by a few minutes of reflection and the good use
of your personal time through a demanding and balanced schedule that
doesn’t leave space for laziness.

4th Stage: Girls between the ages 15 and 16. The
special love of fourth stage is love of ECYD that is the path and means
for developing her human and Christian personality. The daily
commitments of fourth stage are the same as 3rd stage but fulfilled with greater maturity.

The CHALLENGE/ECYDconnection
is basically that The Challenge Girls’ Club is a club open to any
Christian girl who wants to grow in her faith and friendship with
Christ and serve others. The Challenge Girls’ Club offers them a concrete opportunity to become apostles for Christ.

When your daughter attends a day retreat, weekend retreat or summer convention she will hear about being an ECYD member. It
is a personal commitment to Jesus Christ to live more fully one’s
baptismal promises. This personal decision is celebrated with her
friends who also make the commitment with a Mass at the end of the
retreat. One of the benefits your daughter as an ECYD member is to
receive personal attention from a consecrated woman of Regum Christi in the form of monthly formation dialogue and encouragement.Your daughter is invited to make this commitment with your knowledge and written approval.